1. Field
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a secondary battery having an electrode assembly.
2. Description of the Related Art
Unlike primary batteries which are not designed to be recharged, secondary batteries can be repeatedly charged and discharged. Low capacity batteries that use single battery cells are used as power sources for various small portable electronic devices such as cellular phones, and camcorders. High power batteries that use tens of battery cells connected to each other in a battery pack are used as power sources for electric scooters, and hybrid electric vehicles (HEV).
A secondary battery employed in an automotive vehicle requires a high capacity and is gradually getting bulky, unlike the conventional low-capacity secondary battery used with a small-sized electronic device. A prismatic battery may have a difference in the heat dissipation between the inside and the outside of a cell due to an increase in the thickness, making it difficult to attain improved safety. In particular, in a high power secondary battery having a plurality of battery cells in a jelly roll configuration for use in HEV, there is a considerable temperature difference between a central cell and a peripheral cell. In addition, when penetration or internal short circuit occurs, the temperature of the central cell may be excessively increased. Thus, there may be a high potential for thermal runaway, resulting in fire or explosion.